Trans-Caspian International Transport Route

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The Middle Corridor, also called the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), is a trade route from Southeast Asia and China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea (using train ferries to cross the Caspian), Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. It is an alternative to the Northern Corridor through Russia further to north, and the Ocean Route via the Suez Canal further to the south. Geographically, the Middle Corridor is the shortest route between Western China and Europe. It is undergoing major developments in parts, with the Trans-Kazakhstan railroad completed in 2014 and the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway operational in 2017. In 2022, the Middle Corridor's cargo doubled to 1.5 million tons, while the Northern Route's shipping volume declined by 34%. However, obstacles to the further use of the Middle Corridor include the limited capacities of seaports and railways, the absence of a unified tariff structure and single operator, and the alignment of geopolitics along the route...

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